Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #707699 in Books
• Published on: 2007-04-17
• Released on: 2007-03-29
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 32 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781596432543
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 1—Fittingly, this book's large size, dramatic black backgrounds, and bold colors leap off the page at readers, just like a monster jumping out of a closet. Based on a traditional Brazilian poem, the story looks at the many possibilities created by the birth of a monster: "either it's a faraway-in-the-forests monster, or…it's an under-your-bed monster." For each set of choices there is a dead-end option ("If it eats you, that's that."), and an option that leads to two more possibilities. Following a series of wild twists, in which a principal is eaten and a kitchen girl dumps porridge on a monster's head, the tale comes full circle to the birth of a new monster and the original set of possibilities. Bright colors and a wild variety of fonts burst out from each page, and the potential scariness of the monster is tempered by its round body, buck teeth, and fuzzy hair. Various colors, textured fabrics, and other materials fill in the cartoon line drawings. Tiny leaves create the bushes and grass, the monster's hair is full of swirls, and the porridge contains lumps. With its zany humor, skillful timing of page turns, and over-the-top story line, this is an engaging tale that children will respond to and request again and again.—Suzanne Myers Harold, Multnomah County Library System, Portland, OR
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From Booklist
More slapstick than scary, this monster picture book, the author's debut, is a deliciously silly, circular tale. "When a monster is born . . . there are two possibilities—either it's a FARAWAY-IN-THE-FORESTS monster, or it's an UNDER-YOUR-BED monster." So begins the text, which continues on in a similar format, posing the outcomes of two alternatives: "If it's a FARAWAY-IN-THE-FORESTS monster, that's that. But if it's an UNDER-YOUR-BED monster, there are two possibilities." What happens when the monster comes to school, eats the principal, wanders into town, and falls in love? He becomes the parent of a baby monster, who may grow up to be an under-your-bed monster, and the story starts again. The words have the rhythm of a chant, and kids will want to shout out the "that's that" refrain. Sharratt's neon-toned artwork, which has the look of computer-generated collage, features a furry, round, lime-green monster, whose pink horns and buck teeth make an endearingly goofy star. Bright, funny, and interactive, this is just the thing for a sugared-up, restless story-hour crowd. Engberg, Gillian

About the Author

Customer Reviews

Three Silly Chicks Review
Reviewed by Three Silly Chicks - Readers, Writers, and Reviewers of funny books for kids.



When a monster is born, there are two possibilities-- Either it's a faraway-in-the-forests monster, or it's an under-your-bed monster. If it's a faraway-in-the-forests monster, that's that. But if it's an under-your-bed monster...

Well, you'll just have to see for yourself what an under-your-bed-monster does. All kinds of fascinating and silly things can happen when a monster is born.

For instance, it can go to school with you, eat your principal, dance the boogie-woogie, or fall in love with a kitchen girl. Yes, readers, those are some of the possibilities in Sean Taylor's new crazy-fun picture book. Each page explores a choice for a monster in modern-day life and then takes it to an absurd extreme.

We think this is a brilliant read aloud. Kids will have such fun guessing what that tricky monster will do next! Nick Sharratt cleverly uses a black background to reinforce the monster's more dastardly choices, reinforcing the "good choice, bad choice" theme. Bold, graphic and goofy, this book will bring a smile to little monsters everywhere!

Great book for the PreK - 2nd grade group!
Initially when I read this book I was concerned that my then 4 y.o. daughter (who tends to be a fraidy-cat) would be frightened by it. However she absolutely loved it!

The story essentially goes back and forth between a monster that can be THIS kind of monster (a meaner type) or THIS kind of monster (not mean and somewhat funny type). Each turning of the page offers up a different type of monster it can be.

The only scary or violent part is when one of the options is a monster that eats the teacher, but my daughter wasn't scared by that (surprisingly...). In fact this has become one of the favorite books and is on frequent rotation as a before bed story.

I recommend this book to those who's kids have begun talking about monsters or being afraid of monsters. For some reason it seems to help mitigate little kids fears (although it isn't a touchy feely warm & friendly type of monster book).

It's a fun little story....

Such a fun book!
There are so many children's books, sad to say it's not often we came across a good one. Once a while, you will find a book not only captures the interest of your little one, but also puts a grin on your face. This is one of those books. My 4-year-old and I love this book, it's clever and funny. As soon as we finish reading it for the first time, my son asked me to read it again.